Which group to join

Select the group that is appropriate for your skill and fitness levels.

Join the 3rd group if you want to go for an easier ride or for your first few rides with the club.  At the start of year, the pace is about 28 km/hr on the flats.  In high season, the pace might be around 32 km/hr on the flats.  Hill transitions are gentler.  The pace picks up with the wind at your back.

The second group:  rides about 3-4 km faster than the 3rd group and rides hills faster.  

The first group is the fast group: this is for extremely fit racers or cycling fanatics who believe in the principle of "survival of the fittest".

Do not join the 2nd or 3rd group if you are used to riding at 35km+ and then decide to pull the group at a painful pace.  Both the 2^nd and 3^rd groups ride at the pace of the slowest rider.

Don’t join a group that is too big.  Try to maintain group sizes of about 12 riders.

What happens at the “Destination” stop?

Most of the groups stop for brunch at a restaurant at the planned destination.  This has been built into the schedule on the Directions page for each ride. 

Some members of the first group just stop at a corner store and then continue on almost immediately.

Please tip well to encourage continued good service.

Don’t hassle the staff in the restaurants.  Many of the places we visit are very small towns and the restaurants have limited capacity.  Even though we try to give the restaurants appropriate advance notice, our rides are getting so large that we are close to exceeding the capabilities of most places, so expect some issues with the service and try to be understanding.

The role of the group Tour Leader

Each group will have one person who is acting as the “Tour Leader” for the group.  This person determines the route and calls the turns at intersections.  Please do what the Tour Leader says.  All of the planned Saturday routes have been mapped ahead of time in detail, and doing so reduces the chances of cyclists colliding because one person though there was a turn, and the next didn’t know about it.

Do not change the route on your own during the ride.  If you want changes, talk to your group Tour Leader ahead of time and work out any changes, or ask to stop the group and discuss the change while stopped, so there is no indecision on the ride.

Crossing Roads at Stop Signs

Stop at all stop signs and lights.  The people at the front of the group should wait until there is enough space for the entire group to cross before they start to cross.  Point out oncoming vehicles to the rest of the group when appropriate.

Don’t cross in one’s and two’s because it confuses vehicle drivers and the rest of the group and could lead to an accident.  Don’t just assume that the way is clear when you cross just because other people are crossing - make sure that you look for yourself.

How to draft

Ride 6 inches behind the wheel of the person in front of you and keep in line with the person two bikes ahead of you.  If you feel uncomfortable with this at first, stay a foot away or remain at the back where you can experiment with the distance at which you feel comfortable.  Better yet, practice with an experienced rider before you come out with the group or ask for help.  The second and third groups are better for this.

Do not "half-wheel".  This involves cycling such that your front wheel overlaps the rear wheel of the person in front of you.  
Do not ride in between the rear wheels of the two cyclists ahead of you. This is dangerous, because if they swerve, your front wheel will probably be hit.  
Similarly, do not fall so far back that you are no longer getting a good draft. This will tire you out to the point where you might not be able to keep up.
As well, do not ride way out to the right or left of the pack, this will ruin the draft for the person behind you and will make them work harder.

Pacing and line

Keep your pace smooth by pedaling as evenly as possible.  Ride as straight as possible.

On descents the lead riders should pedal to prevent the accordion effect.

Avoid jerky movements and braking erratically.
Avoid alternately pedaling and coasting.  This causes the people behind you to have to brake.
Avoid suddenly changing your line.

Rotating in the echelon

When it is time for you to go to the front, hold your pace until the rotation is completed, although you might have to speed up slightly.

Do not sprint to the front when the echelon (the pack) is rotating.  All movements should be gradual and gentle. When you arrive at the front, do not increase your pace.  It is a good idea to purchase a cycling computer to know what the pace has been. The person behind you just pulled and could be tired. As well, if you push too hard at the front, you might run out of energy later on. This means that everyone else will have to pull you home.

How to handle strong cross-winds

Rotate to the front at a steady pace.  If you are more fit then the rest of the group and want to get a good workout in a crosswind, ride on the upwind side of the rider ahead of you, so you create a better draft for the people behind you.

Don’t sit at the front for long periods of time, even though you may be more fit than the rest of the group.  All the riders on the upwind side of the group (including the weaker riders) have to push the wind, not just the people at the front.  Fit riders who stay at the front too long cause weaker riders to tire quickly, and the group drafting form deteriorates.

Fitness levels

Conserve your energy if you are unsure of your fitness levels.
Faster riders, you may have been training all week, but if you have chosen to ride with a slower group, be considerate.  Some people don't have the time to train all week. If you are going beyond their pace, they won't be enjoying their ride.

If you notice a rider behind you losing contact with the pack, let the Tour Leader know right away, so they can determine what action to take.

Avoid doing sign sprints and breaking off in smaller groups to "train" if you are unsure of your fitness.

Don’t make erratic movements to leave the group and join a sprint.

Transfer to climbing position

When transferring to an off-the-seat position on a climb, ensure that your pedal stroke remains even, so that your bike does not jerk back.

Do not pause in your pedal stroke when you transfer from sitting to off-the-seat position.  If the person behind you is 6 inches behind you, he or she will likely hit your back wheel and this could cause an accident.

Do not pull back on the bars to raise yourself out of the saddle.

Braking safely

To avoid problems in case of an emergency, remain alert at all times and keep your hands close to your brakes.

Do not look at your front wheel.  This could make you unaware of unusual movements in the pack.
Do not lean on your aero bars when riding in a pack. You won't have time to brake if evasive maneuvers are required. It is acceptable to do so if you are pulling the pack.
If you do need to brake, do so as smoothly as possible and tell the person behind you that you are braking.

Where to look

Look one to two cyclists ahead of you, slightly to the side.

Avoid looking at your front wheel or at the rear tire of the person in front of you.

Food and drink

Bring some food and liquid with you. Usually two water bottles are better than one.

If you have not drunk or eaten enough, you may "bonk" i.e. not be able to ride back because of lack of energy.

What to bring in case of emergency

Wear an approved cycling helmet.  Bring a spare tube, pump or CO2 cartridge, tire levers, I.D., money or a phone card.  Duct tape rolled around a pen, band aids and $5 bills also work for tires slashed by glass or wire.

Do not rely on others for their tubes. They might get a flat themselves and then have nothing with which to replace it.

What to do when there are obstacles on the road

Point to pot holes or other objects that need to be avoided.  If it is only a slight bump, it is more important to keep your line and ride over it.
A sweeping motion indicated a car or large obstacle ahead.

Train tracks in particular can be dangerous, try to cross them as close to ninety degrees as possible, but whatever angle you cross with, make sure your bike is completely upright when you cross.

Do not swerve to avoid objects unless it is really necessary as this could cause accidents.  If you absolutely need to, tell the people around you of your intentions.
Calling out "hole" helps, but riders behind you might not know where it is so indicate its position by pointing to it.